Presented at the 2023 Celebration of Remembrance by MD student Skylar Henderson.

Good afternoon. Today we gather to celebrate–celebrate the lives of these individuals before they passed and, particularly, the lives they lived after they passed. I hope my words can express our most profound appreciation and honor to you and these individuals who graciously donated their selves to science. For many of us students, the anatomy lab holds a particular sacredness, and we will cherish those moments forever.

There are many titles for an individual who makes such a selfless donation: donor body, cadaver, our first patient, or, my favorite, great teacher.

In preparation for this event, I spoke with some of my classmates to gather their thoughts in the hope of offering a more full and inclusive sentiment today. Many beautiful and heartfelt thoughts were shared about our unique experiences with these great teachers, but what seemed most important was the sacrifice these individuals made. This sacrifice was ultimately an act of love–not necessarily a love for us as doctors-in-training, but–and perhaps most importantly–an act of love for the patients that we will serve and who will benefit from the lessons we learned while interacting with and caring for these great teachers.

These great teachers welcomed us to their most sacred home and helped us understand the human body as a complex organism. They helped us collaborate with each other and work in teams. They pushed us to our mental and emotional limits and ultimately acted as a source of spiritual, intellectual, and emotional growth. They taught us that the patient isn’t simply a broken machine that needs fixing but a fellow person who needs help. Because of these great teachers, we have a greater capacity for empathy and compassion. Because of these great teachers, we understand the complexity, fragility, and resilience of the human body and the precious nature of our shared humanity. Because of these great teachers, we have a deeper understanding of our responsibilities as doctors. Because of these great teachers, we are here today to celebrate, commemorate, and express our deepest sentiments of gratitude.

While we do not know what these individuals went through in deciding to become donors, we want to recognize the potential sacrifice and the complex feelings you might have felt in this process and offer our deepest condolences for losing a loved one. Please know that their sacrifice and, subsequently, yours, is a priceless gift that, for many of us, will be a fulcrum on which we, as future doctors, will leverage our entire careers.

As an all-important chapter closes, a new one begins. May we never forget the love, the sacrifice, and the priceless lessons these great teachers have so graciously given. From myself, my classmates and colleagues at Drexel, and all of us, thank you.